A bull elk, like this one at Peck Ranch Conservation Area, can weigh more than 700 pounds. MDC thinks the Missouri elk herd might be big enough to support a very limited hunt by 2020. Submitted by Aaron Hildreth/MDC

During a frosty November morning, three young bull elks graze in a food-plot pasture at Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southeast Missouri. Elk were reintroduced to Missouri in 2011 and so far are thriving, with 107 animals roaming freely on Peck Ranch. Wes Johnson/News-Leader

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Elk were reintroduced to Missouri in 2011.

A bull elk bugles at the Peck Ranch Conservation Area in southeast Missouri. Elk are included in the new poaching fine bill that Gov. Mike Parson signed into law.(Photo: Missouri Department of Conservation)

After three public meetings about a future elk season in Missouri, the sentiment is clear.

Missourians should get first shot at taking an elk. And it shouldn't be a privilege for just a wealthy few.

That's one takeaway that Aaron Hildreth, an elk expert and cervid biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, heard during the three recent public meetings.

If the state's elk herd continues to grow, an elk hunt could become a reality as soon as 2020, he said.

"I talked to people at three public meetings and they said they want a fair opportunity for all Missourians to hunt an elk, regardless of income status," Hildreth said. "They also want the opportunity limited to Missourians, who already pay an eighth-of-a-cent sales tax to support conservation. As our elk population grows, maybe there could be an opportunity for non-Missouri residents to seek a permit."

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Elk were re-established in Missouri at Peck Ranch Conservation Area in 2011, drawing from herds in Kentucky.(Photo: Wes Johnson/News-Leader)

Elk were reintroduced to Missouri in 2011. They were native to the state but were wiped out by hunters in the late 1800s.

Hildreth said MDC has looked at how other states conduct elk hunts as the department begins to shape the regulations that would govern a Missouri hunt.

Missouri elk hunt regulations and permit costs will ultimately be reviewed by the Missouri Conservation Commission, and Hildreth said Missourians will have another chance to offer their comments before those rules are finalized.

"We looked at Kentucky, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which just had their first elk hunt," he said.

Arkansas, for example, has a minimum rifle caliber requirement — .24 caliber or larger — to hunt elk. Hildreth said Missouri might not set a caliber limitation beyond what's already in place for deer.

"We do recognize that an elk is not a deer, it's a much larger animal," he said. "I'd recommend moving to a larger round, .30-caliber or bigger, but my bet is we'll keep those regulations as simple as possible."

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A young bull elk keeps an eye on a group of visitors watching from a nearby gravel road at Peck Ranch Conservation Area.(Photo: Wes Johnson/News-Leader)

In Missouri, deer hunters can use any centerfire cartridge as long as the bullets are designed to expand on contact. No full metal jacket bullets are allowed.

It's all about shot placement, Hildreth notes. In 2017, a teen hunter mistakenly shot an elk with a .243-caliber rifle, killing the animal cleanly with a single shot.

"MDC will try to make our elk hunting regulations as simple as possible and will likely match them to our existing regulations," Hildreth said.

The first week of the Arkansas season was Oct. 1-5, with a youth hunt Sept. 29-30. Forty-one elk were harvested — 18 bulls and 23 that were antlerless. Thirty-six of those came from private land; five were taken on public land.

The second week of the season was Oct. 29-Nov. 2, with a youth hunt Oct. 27-28. Twenty-five elk were taken during this period — five bulls and 20 antlerless, with 14 from private land and 11 from public land.

“Private-land elk hunters were very successful during both seasons,” said Wes Wright, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission elk program coordinator. “The new private-land elk hunt permit system offered increased opportunity for hunters — this was reflected in the harvest.”

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Fall is a prime time to hear elk bugling in the wild. A self-guided auto tour in southeast Missouri provides the opportunity to possibly see and hear this majestic animal. Video courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation